Insights into Mobile from Microsoft & T-Mobile

Attended the local chapter of the American Marketing Association yesterday and recieved some good insights, as the title says. Here are some of them:

First up, Hillary Miller – Wunderman

Mobile is not brochure ware on your phone. You have to think about your mobile strategy and implementation. Need to know the composition of your audience before launching into it. What kind of phonesthey use?Do they text? Not a static medium.

Over 50% of phones sold this year are smart phones; which can use the web.

Where those users are in the customer journey/purchase funnel may determine what mobile tactic you utilize.

In 1999 there were 200 million computers connected to internet. In 2009, 180 million smartphones were sold.

Today people are carrying computers in their pockets that are as powerful as 1999 top of the range desktops. They are always on and always with them. Often knowing where they/we are.

Mobile is a part of Microsoft’s marketing mix. Mobile experience is different so you can’t just repurpose website.

Microsoft uses tag codes for print ads. So people can use phone to take a picture of the tag and be transferred directly to their mobile site. Later on it was clarified that you must download an app and have a video cam in your phone in order to utilize “tags”

When on the mobile site, prospects can watch a “snackable” sized video snippet. They can also access featured blog content.It’s successful because it’s real time. They also enabled sharing by establishing SMS to a friend with a link to the blog. 38% shared with a friend.

When customers are on the mobile experience, they drive people to the web experience.

Mobile banner ads leading to mobile website. Watch a video that explains how to register and develop apps. On the landing page, you can also enter an email address. An email is then sent to the prospective developer that sends them to a site where they can register. About 22% who got an email registered as a developer.

In next few years more than 1 mobile phone per household. Becoming the one thing you will not leave the house without. 18-40 set prefer text messaging. Demo 45 to 51 plus not interested to calls.

Ryan discussed where mobile lines up from a reach and conversion standpoint.SMS gets a ton of reach but low conversions because you’re limited to 160 characters.Tried and true if you have a relationship with a customer. Hard to articulate your message in 160 characters.

% of overall active wireless users:

·Flip phones – 37% text messaging picture messaging WAP access

·Messaging phone 41% text, picture, WAP

·Smartphone– 22% text web email calendar apps

This breakdown is important to keep in mind because half of the customers we market to today have fairly basic phones.

Defined WAP – Wireless Access Protocal.

The key is smartphone integration. You can personalize the message to the device. Much more timely.

Next up, Q&A to various speakers:

Typically, an SMS marketing message is embedded with alink to call or a link to a WAP enabled site.

Do you need an app to recognize tag codes? You need an app to read a tag code and direct to a URL. It is now a Microsoft product. You can use with a windows phone and iPhone/Android phones. Just need an app and a camera. A lot of latent Blackberry’s do not have a camera.

Foursquare social networking application. You can check into a location and read reviews. Will it access your personal information and geotargeting? Like when you go to a bank.

Tmobile is developing ways to deliver messages through Bluetooth when you walk into a store.How much is too much, was the question.

It always should be in an opt in basis.- Wunderman.

What countries are leading in mobile marketing? South Korea, Japan, China. Where about 5 to 10 years behind. We haven’t aligned on a single platform. Adoption was also quicker in some countries because land line options were limited.

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Maureen Jann About the author

Maureen Jann is a veteran B2B marketer whose career in Digital Media has grown up with the Internet. A self-described jill-of-all-trades, Maureen has elevated creative problem solving to an art form and enjoys the daily challenges of driving business results in unexpected ways. Her skills as an entrepreneur, content marketer, creative director and passionate people manager set her apart from the pack. Maureen has worked in every corner of marketing making her a skilled tactical resource as well as a strategic partner. Recently, she was the captain of the marketing ship for an award-winning professional services firm and is currently creating a content marketing strategy for Point It, a digital marketing agency.